Around the world, women in prison face distinct challenges and unique needs that most justice systems were never designed to meet, and most prison systems fail to address. Many face untreated mental health conditions, limited access to appropriate medical care, family separation and heightened exposure to gender-based violence. The harm suffered extends well beyond prison walls, reverberating through entire families and communities, and persisting long after release.

Bangkok Rules examined

To support the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice and its Women in Prison Project, White & Case joined forces with Amazon lawyers and legal and public policy professionals through their Pro Bono Program in 2025 to examine the Bangkok Rules—international standards that call for safer, fairer treatment of women prisoners and encourage alternatives to custody where appropriate.

Formally adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2010 as the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders, the Bangkok Rules supplement the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. They focus on the specific circumstances and needs unique to imprisoned women, and recognize the disproportionate impact incarceration can have on women and their families.

Turning principles into practice

Translating abstract principles into effective advocacy and legal reform requires more than theory; it depends on clear evidence of the degree to which national laws and their implementation align with those principles.

Working alongside colleagues from Amazon, our lawyers helped build that evidence at scale. Over three months, 127 lawyers and legal professionals from both organizations conducted comparative legal research across diverse jurisdictions. Together, we produced 18 country-specific reports, rigorously analyzing national laws, policies and practices against the standards set out in the Bangkok Rules. This research now supports the Vance Center's advocacy efforts, and informs prison reform and human rights initiatives worldwide.

Research that drives advocacy

The Vance Center put our research to immediate use. At the Women in Prison global convening in Bogotá, Colombia in late 2025, nonprofit leaders and reform advocates used the reports to frame conversations around real conditions, identify shared priorities across regions and focus attention on where the most critical gaps remain.

"The research and country reports provided an important foundation for the Vance Center's discussions in Bogotá," says Romina Cassena, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center's Human Rights and Access to Justice Program. "The 18 reports helped ground conversations in concrete legal realities, identify shared gaps in implementation of the Bangkok Rules, and meaningfully shaped the discussion about where collective advocacy and reform efforts are most urgently needed."

A collaborative approach to securing justice

The Women in Prison Project builds on a long history of collaboration between White & Case and Amazon to ensure access to justice. In the past eight years, we have done 15 projects with Amazon. In 2025, in addition to the Women in Prison Project, we also:

• Researched the processes for securing more than 100 types of legal documents in more than 20 countries for the Vance Center's Keep Families Together Initiative
• Reviewed cases to help the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition identify clients eligible for its pro bono motion-filing program
• Helped individuals seal decades-old criminal records for the Legal Aid Society's Case Closed Project

Collectively, these efforts demonstrate how working together can drive meaningful change. "By combining legal knowledge, global reach and a shared commitment, White & Case and Amazon are helping nonprofit partners strengthen legal systems, support vulnerable populations, and lay the groundwork to improve the lives of women and families for years to come," says Washington, DC partner Claire DeLelle.

"When I reflect on my journey in the legal profession, I'm reminded that the most meaningful work often extends beyond traditional practice. Our pro bono work with White & Case exemplifies this commitment," says David Zapolsky, Amazon Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer. "As legal and policy professionals, we have both the responsibility and privilege to use our skills to serve those who cannot access justice on their own."

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A woman reads a book in a prison cell.